Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M) said on Saturday to SVT News that the events that upset Turkey do not improve Sweden’s security policy situation.
Now Oscar Stenström says that the actions make talks with Turkey more difficult.
– We see expressions that are legal, but certainly not suitable for conducting these conversations. Burning the Koran outside Turkey’s residence has of course offended an entire religion, I think that is regrettable and we have shown sympathy for it.
It is unclear how long the break for physical meetings will be
Turkey said this week that meetings with Sweden are pointless, something Stenström agrees with.
– It doesn’t make sense to have trusting conversations and meet physically because it would probably only lead to us possibly messing up the situation.
Furthermore, he says that it remains to be seen how long the break for the physical talks will be.
– This must now settle down, but we will in no way change Sweden or our constitutions.
Stenström says that, however, talks have been held with Turkey after the Koran burnings and that he hopes for continued talks.
– I hope to be in contact with my counterpart as early as next week. But then we’ll see when we meet physically simply, but conversations are ongoing.
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